


Another Way

by WatchTheAntagonist



Category: Cosmere - Brandon Sanderson, Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Heist, Leverage AU, no knowledge of leverage required
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 02:43:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21468757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WatchTheAntagonist/pseuds/WatchTheAntagonist
Summary: Dalinar had assembled a team. A team that would steal and con their way into justice against the corrupt. Only problem is they aren't the only ones with eyes on their particular target.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 29





	Another Way

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the Cosmere Gift Exchange for kaisplat.  
This is technically an AU inspired by the Leverage tv show, but no knowledge of Leverage is needed. Hope you enjoy!

“You look gorgeous,” the man in the suit said as she walked up to him. Shallan would have blushed at the sound of the compliment. She definitely would have been mortified by the rest of the team listening in through the nearly invisible earbud she wore on every mission. She might have been able to stride across the ballroom at one of the most exclusive parties in the country, walking directly towards the host, without snagging her too-long heels on the edge of her too-fancy dress, though her almost disaster when walking from their headquarters to the car didn’t make that statement very convincing. Luckily, Radiant didn’t have any such qualms. She was on a mission.

“My thanks, kind sir.” Radiant gave the appropriate curtsey, a small smile that didn’t even look forced gracing her lips. She knew he wasn’t kind. Dalinar wouldn’t have selected him as their target if he was, not even for as good of an opportunity as this was to get closer to their real targets.

“Please, help yourself to the refreshments. We imported them especially for tonight. There is an important announcement to be made, and we need to celebrate,” he said, waving broadly towards a waiter carrying a serving tray of champagne glasses. Judging by the flush of his cheeks, he had already been celebrating for a while. Radiant took a glass gracefully, as she did everything, and faked a sip while eyeing the waiter who had served it to her. His dark eyes were quite striking, but it was his bearing that was interesting to her. He didn’t look down when she took her glass. She ended up looking away first, as her target needed to be kept engaged, but she tried to memorize his face. Shallan would want to draw him later.

Radiant slipped easily into the customary small talk. Ideally, she would be able to get some information from him about their more pressing targets, but really her job here was to distract him. Renarin’s research had shown that he had an inconvenient habit of leaving his parties early and wandering down to his vaults. It could be potentially disastrous if he ran into Lift in the process of her breaking open his vaults, so Radiant had been assigned as a distraction.

“Guys, we may have a problem,” Renarin’s voice came through her earpiece, sounding anxious. Radiant tensed, wishing that Dalinar had let her bring her weapon. He was probably right that it would have been to big of a risk to sneak it through security, but it would have been a comfort. Radiant was not built to feel helpless.

“What’s going on?” Adolin replied. He was stationed just outside the party and would hopefully be able to solve any unexpected problems.

“I’ve just got into their system.” The clack of Renarin’s keyboard could be heard as their hacker spoke. “The vault was upgraded last week. He kept it under wraps, but I found the installation records on his computer. Lift won’t be able to get in. Or, more precisely, she’ll be able to get in but won’t be able to get back out.”

“Lift, you need to abort the mission now,” Dalinar commanded over the coms. Everyone on their link was silent, waiting for a response. Nothing. “Lift. Respond. Now.”

“Damn it. I’m going in after her,” Adolin said. He reached up, tempted to pull the earbud from his ear so not to hear the protests of his father and brother, but left it in.

He settled for tuning out the complaints and orders. Adolin had been waiting outside for hours, listening to his friends enter the belly of the beast. This may not have been the most dangerous heist they had ever attempted, but there was always a risk of unforeseen and unpredictable complications. As evidenced by the current developments. He made his way around the edge of the ballroom. It wouldn’t be unheard of for someone to recognize him and try to approach, but for the most part he was able to stay under the radar. He may not have Shallan’s level of ability in grifting, certainly not to the extent of basically becoming different people, but he could make do. Especially sense no one would expect to see the noted fashion icon and son of Dalinar Kholin dressed as a waiter.

Cutting behind the buffet table wasn’t the quickest way to the staircase that lead underground to where the safe was kept, but it was the most secure. He would grab a couple nearly empty platters on his way past so that no one would question what he was up to. He was just turning to make his way from the buffet table when a hand snatched one of the trays from his grasp.

“Whatd’ya think you’re doing with that?” a familiar voice said in an offended snarl. “There’s still food onit that I haven’t gotten to yet.”

“Lift,” Adolin said.

“Oh,” Lift said, her cheeks puffed out with squirreled away snacks, seeming to look past the food and recognize Adolin for that first time. “It’s you.”

“Yeah, it’s me,” Adolin said, trying to drag her into a corner without seeming like a suspicious person abducting a child. He reached up to touch the ear with the earpiece, an unnecessary habit he was trying to break himself of but stopped himself. “Guys, I found her.”

“I was going to get right on it, don’t worry, no problem, just got a little side tracked. Do you know if they have any more of these shrimp thingies in the kitchen?” Lift said, finally swallowing the enormous bite she had taken. She turned to sprint off in the direction of the safe when Adolin caught the hood of her baggie sweatshirt just in time.

“There’s an issue, we have to bail. That’s why I came to find you,” Adolin said. Lift’s mouth formed a small o as she nodded quickly. “We have to get out. Now.” Life cast one last longing glance at the spread of food stretching out across the display table. Adolin sighed. One last trip couldn’t hurt. Lift smirked, knowing he had given in.

“What happened to your earbud, anyways?” Adolin asked.

“It itched.”

“You know, I kind of get that,” Adolin said, half-listening to his father, brother, and friend yell about timely exits and following instructions.

Distracted by the noise, Adolin almost ran straight into a server. He mumbled a quick apology but stopped when the other man didn’t even pause in his step to acknowledge the much larger man he had almost ran into. Adolin paused a moment, catching Lift’s shoulder. Something didn’t feel right.

Adolin’s eyes followed the server, trying to figure out what was out of place. Nothing about the man stood out. He was maybe a few years younger than Adolin, and wore long dark hair tied back in a neat ponytail. There was something about him, though, that Adolin couldn’t set aside. Something about the way that he walked, filled with purpose, or maybe something about the look in his eyes that seemed somehow to be both extremely focused and far, far away.

Another breath and Adolin figured out what had caught his attention. Despite walking into the crowd, the server didn’t have a tray. And he was walking in a beeline towards one of the lords who had just entered. Amaram.

It had taken Kaladin two months to track down Amara’s location and complete schedule. Another two weeks of forging, bribing, and threatening references to get himself a job as a waiter. Three painstaking hours working the party, waiting for Amaram to arrive. And now he was there. Finally, within reach. Kaladin wasn’t going to waste that opportunity.

The faces around him blur as he goes by. The only things in existence were him and the man who had so thoroughly destroyed his life. And he was getting closer. Another step. He held reached his hand into his pocket, pulling out the small switchblade he had squirreled away into his uniform. He thought of his men. He thought of Tien. He thought of their bodies, growing still and cold with their blood pooling on the floor. Another step.

A hand grabbed his shoulder, pulling him back. He strained against it, not bothering to turn from Amaram.

“Stand down, son,” a voice said, close to his ear. Kaladin glanced up to look at the older man, still clearly strong who was staring at him with a frown that brought out the wrinkles on his forehead. “This isn’t the way to go about this.”

“Let go of me,” Kaladin hissed, trying to pull free. The man’s grip only strengthened. Kaladin growled as Amaram disappeared into the crowd without so much as a look in his direction.

“There’s a better way. Come with me,” the man instructed. Kaladin whirled around to face him. The man met his eyes with a steely determination. The man pulled Kaladin off to the side, and Kaladin followed, not sure what else to do. It was obvious that the man wasn’t going to let him kill Amaram without a fight, and if he started something here Amaram would probably weasel himself away before Kal got a chance to get to him. The man cocked his head to the side, and Kaladin noticed an earbud in one ear that he was obviously listening to.

“Listen,” the man said. “My name is Dalinar Kholin. I don’t know your full story, but I do know who you are. And I know enough about Amaram to put together that his story, the public’s story, of what happened to your people is probably false.”

Kaladin looked down, grimacing. That was an understatement. “So ,you understand why I have to kill him.”

“Not like this,” Dalinar said. “You may owe it to your men to make him pay, but you also owe it to them to keep living. And even if you succeeded in taking him down here, there’s no way you would be able to get away. And taking him down would just open the way for some other corrupt scumbag to take his place.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?” Kaladin growled, yanking his arm out of Dalinar’s grasp and casting another desperate look across the ballroom, hoping for another glimpse of Amaram.

“You don’t have to do it alone. My team and I, we specialize in taking down people like him. Taking their fortune, destroying their reputation, and ruining any prospect anyone has of profiting from their crimes. From what I’ve heard about you, you’d be a valuable addition,” Dalinar said. He gave a small smile. “Right now, you are suffering under an enormous weight. We can provide. . .Leverage.”


End file.
